There’s already one big reason why you should be buying the Apple iPhone 14 (Pro) over the Galaxy S23 this year. The unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra surely made a big buzz. However, not all were a hit for Samsung as there was one notable missing feature from the trio, which is satellite connectivity.
Apple’s iPhone 14 debuted with emergency SOS via satellite last year. The iPhone feature allows to communicate remotely with emergency responders through satellites above earth if both Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity is out of range. While the solution has seen a slow rollout and limited availability to the US and some parts of Europe, it has already been proven to save lives.
As confirmed from the Unpacked event, there was no mention of satellite connectivity on the Galaxy S23. This was acknowledged by Samsung’s mobile president TM Roh in an interview. Strangely enough, the head believed that mobile satellite connectivity is not mature enough. But he added that they will be ready to adopt once the infrastructure and technology are ready.
Whether the Roh was tiptoeing about answering the issue, it should be noted that Qualcomm has announced its Snapdragon Satellite tech that offers two-way satellite messaging earlier this year. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with X70 modem, which the Galaxy S23 is based on, is supported with satellite connectivity. However, it will still depend on the manufacturer to implement the feature given it is not comparable to an over-the-air software update.
On that note, Samsung might have another reason behind it and which we cannot really exactly pinpoint. It is safe to say the Koreans could have just missed the tech or perhaps they are still ironing it out before shipping with the next Galaxy flagship like the foldable Galaxy Z Fold 5.
Meanwhile, Apple has expanded the service into more countries at the end of 2022. The Cupertino added UK, Germany, France, and Ireland in addition to the USA and Canada. It will be free for the first two years right from activation of any iPhone 14 model.
Will you consider satellite messaging a necessary requirement before buying your next smartphone this year? Let us hear your thoughts in the comment section.
